A Soul Who Saw Through Me
by Fantome Star
Summary: Maka Albarn is about to end it all when an unusual boy named Soul decides to take her in. AU, multichap, SoMa.
1. Chapter 1

High up.

Yes, she was high up indeed. The ground seemed like a blur of colors, and the distance made her dizzy. Falling from the tremendous height would no doubt lead to death. The cold and unforgiving pavement awaited her at the very bottom, as well as the innocent people who would witness it. Nothing stood in her way of stepping off the roof. Yes, Maka Albarn was in a dangerous spot indeed.

Why she was thinking about what awaited her, she did not know. The young girl had come up on her own accord, and had planned to fall from that precarious height from the start. One too many awful events had pushed her to the edge, had driven her to deciding this fate for herself. Now the only problem was if she could convince herself to do it.

Because now, Maka Albarn was hesitating. The noises of the city were reminding her that life went on, and that she should walk safely down the steps inside the building, get herself on flat ground, and find a safe place to stay for the night. But when the poor girl looked back at her hands, all she could do was clench them into a tight fist. There was no use stopping now.

So she sat down, legs dangling over the edge, and let herself feel the wind blow through her hair. The chilly evening air reminded her that she didn't take a jacket with, or rather, didn't have one to bring with her up to the roof. She shivered, trying to remember the last time she had a nice coat of her own. There was one, she recalled; the only extra layer she ever had was a black cloak that fell down to her ankles. Yeah, that kept her warm while it lasted. Where she was headed, however, she wouldn't need a coat.

Maka Albarn knew that tonight would be the end. She made her decision, and refused to think about going back to that house. This night was Maka's last, and her ending fate would be a broken body smashed upon the dark pavement. No more breaths to give, and no more blood to continue pumping. Already the girl had lost so much, yet she decided to give the rest to the world that seemed to hate her so much.

She shut her eyes. It was peaceful, being alone at the top of a towering building, without any more worries—she'd left those behind when she ran from the house for good. Maka let her feet swing a bit in the air as she reminisced about the few good times she had.

One thing came to mind: her one friend, the only one she ever had: Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. The kind and gentle teenager had always been there for her, had sheltered her when she needed it, had bandaged her wounds when Maka herself could not.

Of course, Tsubaki had no idea what Maka was doing right then.

Tsubaki would've done anything to stop her, and Maka knew that at the moment, she couldn't handle that. So she silently slipped away, without a word left for anyone in the world, and climbed up the stairs of the currently empty building, where she could finally let go of it all.

Her best friend was the only one she cared to remember before she was going to jump.

And so, Maka stood up, shaky on her feet. She gripped the fence behind her tightly, letting her knuckles turn a pale white, as she choked out one last word, "Why?" Who the why was directed towards specifically, she did not know. Why did the world turn on her? Why was her father so cruel? Why did God hate her? Maybe all of them. She shook her head, her hair lightly brushing against her neck.

Reaching up with one hand, she slowly pulled out both hair ties, and let all of her hair flow free with the wind. Then she turned, squeezed shut her eyes, began to take the step that would end it all—

"Careful there, kid. You might lose your footing."

She retracted her foot, and closed her hand tightly around the hair ties held in her palm. "W-who…" was all Maka Albarn could force out. Her voice was small, as small as one single person in the enormous world full of billions, and it made her want to shrink down and disappear even more than before.

"If you take a step back, I'll talk. Where you're standing is a little dangerous." _Is he stupid? Can he not tell what I'm doing?_ Maka wondered, but slid backwards anyways. She was obviously there for that conveniently perilous height.

"That's better." Maka turned to look at the voice speaking to her. It was a boy, with snowy white hair and blood red, yet gentle, eyes. He opened his mouth to reveal a toothy grin. "Taking in the sights of the city? Or were you here for something else?" the boy asked casually.

Maka didn't move. She stood frozen in her place, wondering why now of all times, somebody had to come and stop her. After a long hesitation, she had finally worked up the nerve to take that extra step. So why now?

"I-it's pretty," she whispered nervously, playing with the hair ties in her hands. It wasn't a lie; Maka really did think that the lights of the city below were in fact pretty. Astounding, actually. They made her think that maybe there was a thing or two beautiful about humans, and what they did to the Earth.

"Hey," the boy said, dropping the humorous tone he had before. "Come on over to the other side of this fence, kid." His voice was caring and kind, but they had never even met before. Why was a stranger going out of his way to save a lonely, forgotten outcast? Whoever he was, he had a warm and affectionate soul.

Which left Maka Albarn with two choices.

She was a mere three steps away from the edge, and with a sprint she could be dead in thirty seconds. Or, she could sidle her way to the entrance in which she came, and speak with the mysterious boy on the other side.

To the boy's relief, she chose the latter. With unsure and hesitant steps, Maka slowly slid to the gate of the fence, hands gripping the chain links tightly. Once she made it to the safer section of the roof, she let go of the cold metal, and dropped on her knees to the ground that she stood on.

"The name's Soul. Soul Evans," Soul told her as he sunk to the ground with her. His name matched nicely with his personality: a kind soul called Soul, a sweet boy that had saved her from suicide.

"Maka Albarn," she stated simply, staring at her knees that were uncovered by her red plaid skirt.

"That's a cool name," Soul grinned as he inched closer to her. "It would be a real shame to see it on a gravestone. Why don't you come to my house? I know we just met, but I think it'd be better off if I watched you." The offer was sudden and unexpected. Maka had never thought that this would occur to her as she trudged solemnly up those stairs. What was this sudden compassion and consideration? Why had she been abandoned, but suddenly saved at the last moment?

Maka didn't know how to reply. No one except Tsubaki had ever treated her this way. The girl began to shake violently, and burst into tears, both of gratitude and of misery. Soul could easily tell that it was both, and gently took her into his arms. "Hey," he spoke into her hair as she buried herself deeper into his embrace, "I'll take care of you, yeah? That would be pretty cool if I could see you smile someday, Maka."

Soul pulled back, and took her hands into his, gently forcing the right one open. "I think your hair looks nice tied up, too," he added as he took each hair tie and pulled the strands out of her face. "That way, I can see your face." He slipped a piece of hair into a loose ponytail, and did the other side the same.

He took her hand again, lifted them both off the ground, and began to make their way down the staircases.

With another's hand entangled with her own, Maka couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, the world wasn't entirely against her.

/

**First chapter of this fanfiction. What do you think? Did you like it? There will be more. I hope you enjoyed it, please give me feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

They were on a motorcycle.

Soul had pulled her onto a motorbike, started it up, told her to hold onto his waist, and then they were off.

She had never been more terrified while riding a vehicle in her life.

The wind was biting at her face and skin, causing it to burn a deep red. Her hair was messier than ever, and she was uncertain of how to hold onto the boy in front of her. At first, she put her hands loosely on his hips, but when they took the first turn, it was certainly not enough. So Maka Albarn inched as close as he could to the albino boy, wrapped her arms tightly around him, and buried her face into his warm back the rest of the way there.

Maka didn't even get a look around the city with her eyes squeezed shut in terror the entire time. The girl had no idea where he lived, but at this point she didn't care. As long as she got off the bike and onto safe ground, she was fine with anywhere.

To Maka's relief, the boy pulled up into a small lot, and stopped the small vehicle in a parking spot. Soul hopped off the bike and offered his hand to Maka. She forced open her eyes, only to see the boy with another wild grin. "Afraid of motorcycles, but not of tall buildings, huh?" he joked, but the girl didn't smile. "I guess it's going to take a lot more to get you to laugh than an uncool joke," Soul murmured.

She hopped off of his bike, refusing the hand he offered. "Can't remember," Maka whispered, fixing a pigtail. Although she was right beside him, Maka seemed so distant.

"You can't remember what?" Soul urged, looking down at her.

"The last time I smiled," she replied simply. Soul's eyes widened, and he awkwardly glanced in the other direction. _So uncool_, he thought to himself. But he didn't know how to respond.

"Well, you must be hungry," Soul blurted out, attempting to change the subject for the poor girl he was speaking to. He didn't want to make anything harder for her than it already was. "My apartment's up here. Let's go."

They made their way up two staircases, onto the second floor of the building. Maka sighed, remembering the many stairs she had climbed not even an hour earlier. The pair reached the next floor, and Soul's door opened.

Two surprises awaited her in the apartment.

The first one pounced on Soul as soon as the door swung open. Maka jumped back, trying to get a look at the attacker, but realized that it was harmless. It was a tiny purple cat, with rosy cheeks, and a cute witch's hat atop its head. And it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

"Cat!" Maka exclaimed, using the most volume in her voice that Soul had heard all night. Although she didn't smile, she seemed content with the small cat that Soul kept in his room. Maka took the animal into her arms and stroked its dark fur.

"Her name's Blair," Soul told her, leaning against the door. "Look's like she likes you. Well, do you want something to drink while I heat up some Ramen? Sorry, but I don't have much other food here."

"That sounds nice," Maka murmured, focused on the cat. She made her way to his couch and seated herself on its soft orange surface. Any food sounded good to her. The girl hadn't eaten in nearly two days, anyways.

In the kitchen, Soul boiled water for two instant cups and some hot chocolate. He kept a close eye on Maka from afar, concerned about her. He mixed some powder into two mugs, squirted some whipped cream on top, and walked into the other room to hand her one of the cups.

The second surprise came as soon as Soul sat down beside Maka. "I have a guest room. You can stay in there," he offered casually. Maka looked up, gratitude clearly taking over the miserable look she had before. Soul just smiled, and took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"T-thank you," she breathed, eyes glossy with tears again. "It's better than…" Maka began, but trailed off as she gulped down a mouthful of her hot drink. She shifted uncomfortably, her free hand gripping the material she sat on.

Maka Albarn had told herself to think no more of that house, of that man, once she sprinted out the doorway earlier that evening. She thought she had convinced herself to forget what he had done, to forget how she had been treated. Maka wanted to remember nothing as she fell off the roof to her death. She wanted to be seen as nothing, to die as nothing, to become nothing.

But it was coming back. His name echoed in Maka's ears, his image clouded her eyes and she felt everything all over again. She experienced a surge of pain and shame as she recollected what she thought had been left behind. His eerie smile, his foul laughter, his corrupted actions. _Spirit_.

The mug fell out of her hands and onto her lap, spilling hot liquid on her skirt and over her skinny thighs. It scalded her pale skin as she let out a shriek, a scream of both pain from the hot drink, and agony from her father that she was reluctantly remembering.

"Maka!" Soul yelled, uncertain of what had just happened to her. He darted into the kitchen, grabbed some paper towels, and filled up a cup of cold water. Cool water spilled onto the burns, and she cried out again. "I'm sorry Maka, I'm so sorry. Hot drinks were a bad idea, bad idea…" he apologized over and over, cleaning up the mess they had both made.

"Not your fault," Maka spoke finally, gritting her teeth. "My dad…"

Soul took in a sharp breath as he went to throw away the sopping paper towels. "You don't have to say, Maka. But let me go get you something to change into."

He ran into his bedroom and realized that she'd have to wear his clothes. "I'll by her some of her own tomorrow," he mumbled as he pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a plain white shirt.

If he was going to take care of this broken girl, he'd have to get his act together.

/

**A little slow chapter. Next one will have more SoulxMaka action, I promise! Please give me feedback. See you next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

The hardest part of the morning was waking up.

To be more specific, waking _her _up. Maka Albarn was huddled up under the sheets in his guest room, dressed in his comfortable sweats, and had absolutely no intention of getting out of his spare bed. Soul had gone into the room fairly early (with no bad intentions, honest!) to attempt to get their shopping done early.

Soul had taken one look at the girl, and then glanced away. Even in her sleep, she looked distressed. Her face was scrunched up, as if wincing from physical pain, and her fists clenched the blanket tightly, like she was holding on for dear life. _Something pretty awful must've happened to make her like this._

The albino boy drew in a deep breath, and raised his voice, trying to make an effort to get their day going. "Maka, time to get up. We gotta go shopping." No response. The sleeping girl merely turned over to her side, facing away from the intruder of her sleep.

"Geez Maka, I didn't know you were such a heavy sleeper," Soul complained, letting a heavy sigh escape his lips. "I want to beat the crowd."

A small groan came from Maka. She opened one eye lazily, took a peek at Soul, and opened her mouth to scream. "W-w-what am I doing here? Who—"

Swiftly, Soul clamped his hand over her mouth. "I have neighbors, you know! And I'm Soul, remember?" Annoyance and frustration washed over him as he stared at the girl he had decided to save. Why did he take her home again?

He hadn't known her. In fact, he had never even seen her before. But he knew that many people went to that building to jump. It was notorious for its height and its unlocked doors that made it easy to get to the top. Because it was abandoned, it drew in abandoned people. The lonely, depressed teens and young adults of the city could end their lives without difficulty.

But that didn't explain why Soul was there in the first place. Never in his life he had thought about suicide, yet that building had drawn him in, just like it had Maka. He had walked up the stairs just moments after Maka did, in hopes of maybe finding someone to save.

It wasn't the first time, though. Soul had gone up numerous times, saving at least a dozen others who might've met their end without him. The most memorable were a pair of sisters, Liz and Patty. Although he didn't take them in, they still remained his close friends.

Looking back at all the times, he hadn't taken anyone into his care. Soul simply went up, stopped any potential jumpers, exchanged a few hopeful words, and left. So why was Maka so different?

Her aura, maybe? She had a particular air that no one else really had. But it wasn't just that. Her beauty? Had he seen a future in her, maybe _with_ her? Yes, all of those. She may have been plain looking to others (and a little flat-chested) but he had never seen anyone else like her.

The irritation immediately dissolved as he broke out of his thoughts. "Beautiful," he murmured, reaching out to fix her messy hair.

"S-soul," Maka stuttered, remembering the events that had occurred the night before. She lightly pushed away his hand. "What are you saying?"

"It's time to go shopping," Soul replied, avoiding the word that he had slipped just moments before. "You need clothes, and we both need food."

"You don't have to," the girl whispered. "Don't waste your money. I've always been a—"

Soul waved a dismissive hand in the air to cut off her next words. "Whatever you're about to say is totally untrue. And it's not a waste of money. Not if it's for you," Soul added, a light blush dusting both of their cheeks.

"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why me?"

Soul recounted his previous thoughts. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. But I think it's pretty cool that I met you," he lied, and a silence fell between the two of them. The truth was, he did know. After reflecting on the night before, he realized there was something special that he saw in her. He truly thought she was beautiful, and he could feel that she had a beautiful inside, too.

"You're different," Soul admitted finally, unable to stand the silence that he had created. And then finally, in a small whisper he finished, "Resonance."

"What?" Maka questioned, in a voice just as small as his.

"I felt something _resonate _when I saw you," the boy told her, taking her bony and fragile hands into his own. "I know that there's something special about you. I just need to find it. So stay with me, Maka. Don't go back to whatever awful place you came from."

Maka's emerald eyes widened, glistening with unshed tears. "I don't think I ever could," she said, a content sigh escaping her lips. "Not after I met such a kind soul that _resonated _with my own," she joked, using the word he had just taught her. "If that makes any sense."

He smiled kindly at her before offering, "Do you want to go get some breakfast? I don't have any food, so we'll have to go out." Soul yawned, stretching his arms up into the air. "Man, I'm tired. I could really use the caffeine."

Maka slid out of bed. She had tired eyes, asymmetrical ponytails and frizzy hair, and wasn't even wearing her own clothes. But Soul would not deny that he thought the young girl was beautiful. And he could swear she was almost smiling, just a bit—the corners of her small lips slightly lifted, showing the tiniest of happiness.

Soul Evans knew that it was going to take a lot more than some coffee and a guest bedroom to get Maka Albarn to truly smile. With one glance he could see how broken she was, how her past had really messed her up now. But he was willing to go as far as it would take, even just to see it once.

/

**I was going to make this chapter about them shopping, but I guess I'll do that next time. I thought I might want to explain how Soul ended up finding her in the first place. Please review! Thanks to all who favorited and followed.**


	4. Chapter 4

They left as soon as Maka was dressed.

Meaning, as soon as Maka changed into another pair of Soul's clothes. In addition to fixing her hair and feeding Blair, they were gone within minutes. "I think we should walk," Soul brought up as soon as they reached the parking lot, "knowing how well you do on a motorbike."

"H-hey!" Maka countered, her face heating up with embarrassment. _Not _cool. "I was just a little in shock from…you know! And to suddenly be driven by a stranger!"

"Relax Maka, it's not that far. We'll grab coffee, and walk to the shopping center. It'll take less than half an hour." He looked down at her, but Maka was still pouting. "You live in this city, didn't you walk places yourself, too?"

The girl's pout vanished into a neutral face. Soul was shocked by the sudden change in character; Maka had gone from a playful whine to something he couldn't read. The emotion in her face was gone. "I didn't leave the house much."

Hurt to see her like this, Soul glanced away. The road of the city was busy as always, filled with impatient drivers and bright yellow taxis, all anxious to get to their destinations. The air surrounding them was full of the sounds of busy life, the honks of horns and angry shouts and the occasional tire screech of someone's careless driving flooding Soul's ears. It was almost comforting to him, to know so many people surrounded him. Even if not one of them cared about him or acknowledged his existence, he still always knew that life went on.

That's why he was certain there was hope for the girl that walked beside him.

"Can I hold your hand?" Soul asked coolly, keeping his eyes straight ahead of him.

"W-what?" Maka stuttered, surprised by the sudden request for such an action.

"We're friends now, right? Doesn't that mean I can hold your hand?" Soul didn't turn to look at her, fearing that he'd put pressure on Maka. Instead, she looked up at him, emerald eyes shining brightly.

"Friends," she repeated, letting the word roll of her tongue slowly as if it were new. "I've only ever had one friend," she added softly.

Soul didn't even hesitate as he took one sidestep and closed the distance between them, slipping his hand into hers, gently entwining them. "Well, now you have two."

He could bet that anyone who saw the two walking together thought they looked like a perfect fit. Soul could just _feel_ that it was right, that they matched perfectly. She was exactly what he needed, and was almost certain that it was the same for her.

* * *

The albino boy sat down outside the changing room, sipping his coffee with a content smile. After stopping quickly to grab their drinks, Soul had brought Maka to a relatively nice clothing store and urged her to pick out whatever she liked. Of course, as humble of a girl as she was, Maka outright refused.

So Soul began to pick out the clothes for her.

Most other guys wouldn't have enjoyed dressing up a girl, but to him, it was _too _entertaining. He'd piece together outfits, both endearing and hideous (the latter to see that adorable pout again), and force her to try them all on. He could see it in her eyes that she wasn't at all annoyed, so he continued on with his outfit spree.

Maka came out with the next outfit. It was a pastel-yellow shirt, some simple black leggings, and a pair of black flats. Not bad. "Hey Maka, that one looks cute on you. Add it to the pile." The pile meaning, the heap of clothes they already decided to buy.

"Not really," she pouted yet again, and headed back to change again.

"You can keep that on," Soul called out. Maka backed out slowly and gave Soul a confused look.

"Don't you have to buy it first?"

Soul grinned wildly. "I'll pick you up and put you on the counter so they can scan you. That way you can wear it out."

Maka blushed at the thought of being held up by Soul. "Absolutely not! I'll just ask if—"

"Maka, I was joking. I'll explain the situation, they won't care." True to his word, the cashier didn't. She simply punched a code to charge the clothing instead, and rang up the rest. Happy with their buy, they departed from the shopping center, Soul carrying the bag of clothes.

"I'll drop you off at the house while I go shopping for food. I'm pretty sure that would be boring to you if you came along," Soul explained as they approached the parking lot.

Shaking her head, Maka replied shyly, "I can cook." Fumbling with her hands and attempting to will away a rosy blush, she added, "I could cook for you."

The response she got wasn't at all what she was expecting. "Seriously? I've been eating instant ramen ever since my parents left. Where have you been the past two years?"

_Past two years? Soul's been alone for two years? _Maka wondered as they walked up the stairs. She shuddered at the thought of eating instant noodles straight for over two years, although she _had _ eaten worse. "S-sorry, if I had known…"

Soul opened the door to his apartment and let out a hearty laugh. "I'm joking, Maka! I'd love for you to cook!"

The boy didn't know under what circumstances she had survived before. In fact, he was unsure if this was even a wise idea—like the hot chocolate and unpleasant conversation they had the night before.

Trial and error, Soul decided. He would learn how to take care of Maka Albarn by learning from his mistakes. What triggered something bad? What made her happy? What reminded her of the past? What took her mind off her troubles? He'd have to learn them all himself. There was no one he could ask for help, so he'd need to learn from his mistakes to help her.

But what if he hurt her in the process? Soul didn't want to make one too many faults with her. After all, he didn't want to lose her. He thought and thought about how to learn about her past without messing up in the process. And suddenly it hit him.

"Hey, Maka. Why don't you take me to see your other friend?"

/

**Yes, a (sort of) cliffhanger! This chapter makes it obvious I like fluff, haha. I felt like there was too much dialogue, but whatever. Please review! Remember, I'm (trying) to update every day!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, Maka. Why don't you take me to see your other friend?"

Now in the apartment, the two stood facing each other, Soul wearing a rather expressionless face and Maka with a bewildered one. "Why?" she questioned suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.

Soul went to place the bag of clothes on the couch, but didn't make any movements to take off his shoes or jacket. He faked a yawn and stretched his arms high above his head, and then gave Maka another of his toothy grins. "If you take me to meet her, then I'll bring you to meet my friends. How's that?"

Maka fumbled nervously with her fingers, averting her gaze as she said, "I don't know…"

Noticing her uneasiness, Soul walked slowly over to the small girl, and bent down to meet eye-to-eye. "You don't have to be afraid," he murmured, "of meeting new people. I'm here with you." And with that, he encircled his warm arms around Maka, pulled her close to his chest, and rested his chin atop her hair.

It was such a simple act of comfort and affection, but Maka was so taken aback by the action. In fact, she couldn't even recall a time that she had been held like this, by anyone. Tsubaki had hugged Maka, but it wasn't the same. This time, she wasn't sure if she should pull away or respond somehow, so she just decided to close her eyes and lean into the contact.

Soul was so warm. Warmer than she'd ever been sitting alone in a house where the heat was shut off from unpaid bills, warmer than she was standing atop a tall building when she was ready to plunge herself into an eternity of an icy-cold darkness. Soul's arms offered her a lifetime of warmth and safety. They held her when she never even asked.

And she couldn't even thank him for it.

Before Maka knew it, tears flowed steadily out of her eyes. She made no loud sobs; just let the streams stain her cheeks and wet the front of Soul's shirt. Why was this boy so nice to her? What had she ever done to him to deserve such kindness? Why was it so hard to express her gratitude?

"I'm sorry," Maka sniffled, her voice muffled by Soul's clothing. "I'm getting your shirt wet." She pulled back and rubbed her eyes with her fists. "I keep crying in front of you," she added, frowning with slight embarrassment.

Soul rested one hand on her shoulder. "I could care less about my shirt, Maka."

"Okay," Maka replied, brushing away Soul's hand. "You can meet Tsubaki."

With a bright smile, Soul grabbed his keys and reopened the door. "Do you think you're ready to try the motorcycle again?"

* * *

It wasn't as bad the second time.

This time, Maka knew where to put her hands, and what to expect while riding on the motorbike. With some simple instructions beforehand, they arrived at Tsubaki Nakatsukasa's home (within a condominium) on the other side of the city. Soul parked smoothly in the driveway hopped onto the pavement.

"We don't have to stay long, right?" Maka asked, sliding off the bike. "I don't want her to ask me questions…" she trailed off, staring at the door of the house.

Soul didn't answer. _He_ had some things to ask.

But he didn't want to ask them in front of Maka. That might bring up some bad memories. He'd just have to come back another time, remembering the instructions of how to get to Tsubaki's house. Then, the two could talk alone.

He was almost positive he wouldn't tell her anything, not yet anyway. So step one was to get to know the girl first and earn her trust, he decided mentally. Soul knocked on the door with his fist, preparing himself for who was on the other side.

Who was this Tsubaki that was Maka's only friend? He hoped she was a kind girl, like Maka was. He wasn't ready to meet some possessive, strong woman that would steal away his Maka.

_His _Maka?

The way Soul was thinking, he almost seemed possessive himself. He shook that thought away as the door swung open.

"MAKA!" The tall, black haired, heavy chested girl on the inside threw herself onto Maka Albarn, holding her tightly as she exclaimed, "Where have you been, Maka?! I was so worried! Don't you ever do that again! You were supposed to come over last night, where were you?"

Maka glanced over at Soul, and pointed sheepishly at him. "His house…"

Tsubaki pulled the both of them inside and quickly shut the door. "Maka Albarn, you were staying at a _boy's_ house?"

"H-he offered! Soul is a nice boy, really!" Maka countered.

Tsubaki gave a little gasp and raised her hand to her lips in surprise. "You chose a boy over me, Maka?"

"Of course not! He just…he saved me, that's all." The blush on her cheeks was a deep red, and didn't look like it was going to fade anytime soon.

The three talked, a steady conversation going for about half an hour. They shared tea, a few laughs, and then Soul and Maka were off again.

Now he just had to find his way back when Maka was busy.

* * *

Soul had claimed to be grocery shopping. Which wasn't entirely a lie, because he _did_ need to pick up food. He'd just have to make an extra stop back at Tsubaki's house to fulfill his original intention. The boy hoped that Maka's friend would still be as welcoming as she had earlier, but he couldn't be entirely sure. Tsubaki had a certain protective gleam in her eye when she had stared the albino down that afternoon.

It was now late evening as he pulled back into Tsubaki's driveway. Maka was at home, enjoying a couple of books he supplied her with before he took off. He mustered what little courage he had and knocked on the door, exactly as he had just hours ago.

The door was opened nearly seconds later, as if his arrival was expected. Tsubaki was the one that answered, her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she invited him in. Soul could tell that the sweet girl had her guard up, and wasn't going to be fooled by him. Not that he was trying to.

"I'm here…about Maka," Soul began, seating himself awkwardly at the edge of her sofa. He wasn't about to lean back and try to act cool in front of her, when they had just met. But then again, he _had_ just met Maka too. "I found her on top of a building about to jump last night."

Tsubaki's eyes widened, and Soul heard the sharp intake of her breath. He could tell that she wasn't faking it; the girl actually wasunaware of Maka Albarn's whereabouts the previous evening. "So that's where she was…" she mused. "That's horrible. But I am thankful you were there to save her."

"Maka's past," Soul urged. "I need to know what happened to her." He rested his hand anxiously on the arm of the couch, repeatedly tapping his fingers out of uneasiness. "I want to take care of her, but I can't. Not without your help."

The gratitude he had seen in Tsubaki's eyes now burned as a fiery mistrust. Tension filled the air. This was now a battle of who could take care Maka Albarn, and who deserved to. "Don't you think I should handle that? After all, I'm Maka's only friend. I've been there all the times you haven't. Who was there when her mother first abandoned her? When she first hurt herself, when her father first…" her anger showed clearly in her voice, but there was also a disappointment that Tsubaki displayed as well.

Tsubaki Nakatsukasa was right. Soul hadn't been there for any of those moments, and he wasn't quite sure what she had meant by the last part. But what Soul did know was that he was there to save her in the most crucial moment, when Tsubaki wasn't. The disappointment that he detected was that she had failed her best friend at the very end.

"I wasn't there for any of that," Soul agreed. "But I was there when she thought it was the end. I saw her, and thought that if I took her in, I might be able to change that girl. So I decided…" he took in a breath as he uttered the next embarrassing words, "that I would someday make her smile."

He thought that Tsubaki would laugh at him. But instead, she gave him a smile of her own, all tension in the air disappearing at that moment. "You saw it too, then?"

Soul was almost certain he was referring to the strange, special aura that she had; the one that had compelled him to force her off the edge of the roof and into his arms. "Yeah," he whispered. "I did."

Tsubaki glanced away towards the window. "It was almost like something, something—"

"Resonated?"

"Yes," Tsubaki answered softly. "Like something resonated when I saw her. I felt I could be a good friend to her when we first met. And now that I know you feel that way too, I trust that you will become just as good a friend to her as I am. Maybe even better." She closed her eyes and finished, "So take good care of her. I can tell you have a kind soul. You really live up to your name."

Soul inwardly grinned, happy to achieve the approval of Maka's only friend. "Now, if you can just tell me how, that would be great."

"What?"

"Tell me about her past."

/

**Why do people even read this, its so cheesy xD oh well, I like it cheesy. Sorry I didn't get to upload yesterday! I typed about 300 words and then fell asleep. So I made this one about 600 words longer than usual to compensate. I feel like things escalate too quickly xD But I hope you enjoyed this dramatic chapter and the mini cliffhanger at the end. Next chapter her past shall be revealed! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning! Mentions of rape, suicide, and (very very vague) self-harm. However, this will be one of the few times they are referred to. You have warned. **

* * *

Soul was not one to cry.

He was almost positive he could count how many times he'd cried during the last ten years on one hand, and still have two fingers left. Three. Yes, there might've been about three times in the last decade that Soul Evans had cried.

So why was he crying now?

It was a rhetorical question. The boy didn't need to ask because there was no possible way he could disregard the past half hour spent at Tsubaki Nakatsukasa's house. _That_ was why. And now, Soul was driving his motorcycle well over the speed limit, paying next to no attention to the traffic that surrounded him. He was nearly blind with the fluid clouding his eyes, but he wasn't about to pull over to stop his crying anytime soon.

_Not home, _Soul told himself as he sped past his apartment. _I can't let Maka see me like this. That would be so uncool… _He knew that the girl would ask him what was the matter, and even if he lied to her, she would easily find out what had gone wrong that evening.

Some girl he had found on the verge of suicide was now living with him. Soul, being the nosy boy he is, dug into her personal history. And now, he was crying from what he had learned. Hadn't he gotten what he deserved?

And the stories of her past all took place over the span of thirty minutes, on the couch of a certain woman's home. Yet, it hadn't even personally affected him, so why was he so bothered?

Perhaps, because he had become so attached. He liked the girl so much, that he just empathized with her, and began to feel what she had felt all along: sorrow. Soul felt her pain stabbing at his own soul as Tsubaki recounted the events that had happened over the past few years.

She never really had a stable home life, he was told. Maka Albarn came from a broken home, where bills remained unpaid and heat and water often wasn't available. Food availability fluctuated; at times, her father broke away from his alcohol addiction and was able to provide for his daughter.

More often than not, she was on her own, in every way possible. No support for school, no support from parents, hard home life. She wasn't the only one, of course. Many kids, particularly in the city, suffered as she did.

She was abused. Her father hit both Maka and her mother. But this was yet another common case in the world. Without the knowledge of how to get help, the Albarns kept to themselves.

Tsubaki had recounted that Maka and her mother, Kami, had been close. They kept together in the worst times, when they weren't able to defend themselves from the man that ruled the household. She tried to protect her daughter when the violence peaked, but never stood up for the either of them.

Until one day, her mother turned on her too.

Maka had gone to school for the first time in three weeks. She trudged through the day without a word to anyone, and didn't respond to the nosy questions teachers asked. Their concern was fake, anyways. They couldn't care less; she'd be one less student to teach if she ceased coming to school altogether.

When she had opened the door, she knew her father would be gone. What she didn't expect to see was her mother.

Holding a knife to her neck.

Maka had dropped her schoolbag onto the floor, swallowing a lump that had quickly formed in her throat. She slowly raised both hands up to show she had no intention of fighting back. A heavy sweat glistened on her forehead as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't move!" Kami screeched, the knife shaking in her hand. It slid against the smooth skin of Maka's neck, forming a small, fresh slit on the flesh. A thin trail of blood oozed out; the cut was small, but proved the seriousness of the situation.

"M-mom?" Maka breathed. She raised her eyes to look into her mother's face. And it was not the face that she used to know.

Kami was wearing a new kind of despair; the kind that came when one had finally lost all hope. Maka feared that her mother had lost that optimistic side, and unfortunately, she was right. The eyes screamed with defeat, and twitched as they gazed at her daughter.

"You…" her mother spat, giving the knife a little more pressure. Maka felt the movement on her neck. It wasn't fatal, but if it continued, the wound would be. "This is all your fault. Spirit would never hurt me, but then you came along! You ruined us, and I can't forgive you for that, not ever!"

Maka didn't cry. Not from the empty words her mother was sputtering out without thought, anyway. Instead, tears spilled out of Kami's eyes, falling down her cheeks and dripping off her chin. "I'm sorry," she murmured, regret filling her voice, "for ever giving birth to you."

"You're not my mother," Maka answered with confidence. "She would never…."

"Never what? Want to dispose of you? It's my fault you're here, I might as well get rid of you." Kami's words lacked the assurance Maka had. It was as if she were conflicted; conflicted with whether or not she should choose her daughter over herself.

"Then do it," Maka countered, testing her mother's willingness. If this was what she wanted, then she should have it. Maka couldn't argue with the fact that she _was _here because of her mother, and whether or not that was a fault or a miracle, it would always remain a fact. "If that is truly what you want."

"What…I want?" Kami repeated, lowering the knife. She held it with her two hands, examining the blood that smeared on the blade and handle. Maka wiped her neck, but didn't take her eyes off of her mother. "What do I really want…then?"

She gripped the knife, the blade slicing deep into the palms of Kami's hands. More blood spilled out, much more than what had left Maka's neck. "I think…what I want…" The knife was raised to her chest, the sharp, silver blade pointing towards herself. "It's all my fault…that you're here…and that we never really were a real family."

With those last words, the blade was driven into the chest of Kami Albarn.

Thick, red blood splattered over the body of Kami, her daughter, and the walls and floor. Her mother gave a few last convulses and shallow breaths before it became still, but blood continued to pour out long afterwards. Maka fell to her knees, clutching the body that once held the soul of her mother as she cried out, "Where did you go? Why did you turn against me?"

And then Spirit Albarn opened the door.

The sight was astonishing, really. There was his daughter, holding his dead wife with a bloody knife resting on the floor beside them. And there was he, holding a half-drank bottle of booze, his fly undone, and his red hair unattractively tousled.

"What the hell…" he muttered, absorbing the scene that took place not even five feet from the door. The glass bottle came crashing down, spilling its contents as he yelled accusingly at his daughter, "Y-you killed her! You monster, you—"

"It's not like you cared about her anyway," she retorted, not even bothering to lift her head.

Oh, what a mistake that was.

Without a word, he grabbed Maka by the collar of her shirt, dragging her roughly into his bedroom. He slammed the door and threw her onto the bed, and then…

Soul choked on a sob as he finally pulled into the parking lot. After nearly another hour of driving and contemplating on what he had learned at Tsubaki's, he decided to come home. _How disgusting. _Soul thought angrily to himself as he slid off the bike onto the pavement.

He barely was able to listen to the rest of the story. All Soul really heard was that she was traumatized by her mother's sudden suicide, and the punishment she received from her father afterwards. It led her to complete hopelessness, which she thought she would never fall to. Maka hurt herself intentionally, as she thought she deserved it.

Which then led her to the roof of that building.

And Soul.

"Hey Soul," Maka greeted him as he walked through the door. He dropped the single bag of groceries he had picked up onto the counter, and then locked himself in his room.

_This is so childish, _Soul scolded himself mentally as he fell to his knees on the other side of the door. _Get out there. Say something. Smile at her. God Soul, that's _so _not cool._

"Soul?" Maka's voice flooded through the door. He willed himself to open it, and on the other side, a worried Maka stood, staring right at him. "What happened?"

"I'm so sorry," Soul murmured as he embraced her once again. "I'll protect you Maka, okay? I want to protect you…" He held her tightly as he forced himself not to cry. Soul knew that the hug was more for himself than for the girl, but he just wanted to feel her fragile body in his arms. He wanted to feel that he could help her, but in reality, he was too late.

/

**And so, the truth comes out. I couldn't remember if Maka's mother had a name, so I looked it up, and pretty much every source said Kami. I ended up sticking with that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if not, it stays. Also, I kept Spirit's name usage as blunt as possible purposely, because I want to make it seem like my characters are afraid to speak of him/remember him. Dang…this chapter was also a long one. Had a lot of words to get out! Please review! Until next time, my readers~**


	7. Chapter 7

Three weeks had passed since Soul learned about Maka's past.

Soul decided not to bring it up to her. In fact, he didn't want to mention anything negative from her family experience at all. He wanted to help Maka gain control of her life, and live it as normally as possible.

Which was why Soul enrolled her into a school.

Well, _tried_ to enroll was more accurate. Soul lacked much of the necessary information to get Maka into the high school that he attended. But because the public school system in their area was relatively poor, he was able to slip through the cracks and get her in without a great deal of work.

It took her the rest of the three weeks to prepare herself for school.

Maka had told him, "I'm not ready, I'm not ready!" numerous times, but Soul still insisted she get a proper education and make some new friends and try to get into a routine but Maka wasn't at all having it. In fact, it put her emotional state in a worse position than it was before.

"Maka, come here," Soul sighed after nearly twenty long minutes of heated arguing. He gestured towards the couch, patting the cushions lightly as he groaned, "You're making this so much harder than it needs to be. Not cool, Maka."

The nervous wreck hesitated before sitting down beside him. With shaking shoulders and tense muscles, she replied unsurely, "You didn't have to do this, Soul. My education isn't your business."

Soul let out another agitated sigh. "God, Maka! Yes it is! You're in my care now, and it's my job to make sure that—"

"Good point. I _shouldn't_ be in your care, so I guess I'll get going now. Anyways, I'm used to living on my own. But I've really overstayed my welcome." She began to stand up, but a firm grasp on her wrist pulled her back down. Maka flinched at the sudden contact, but didn't push him away.

Soul's grip loosened and slid down Maka's arm to her small hand, gently interlocking their fingers together. "Please don't go," he pleaded.

She glanced at Soul's face, and saw the _need_ burn in his eyes. There was a want for Maka that she had never seen before; a necessity that the boy didn't want to live without. But why? They'd known each other not even a month.

But during that month, she felt a bond between them slowly build. They spent every day together: shopping, cooking, trying new food, watching movies, entertaining themselves in bizarre ways. Not once had they tried to catch up with the world, or attend any obligations teenagers were supposed to have. He was able to see a side of her she didn't even know existed.

She had felt that depression melt away during those few times they held hands, and the moments they shared an embrace. And although sadness was always inside her, Soul was able to disguise it, hide it, and make it seem like something from the distant past.

Soul was the only person able to ever make her feel this happy. And there was no way she wanted to leave him.

But hadn't she _really _overstayed her welcome? Over three weeks, and all she had done was cook and clean. She used up his money, fell into the comfort of his home, and hadn't paid him once. Maka Albarn really owed this boy. "I…owe you lots of money. Let me work, and I'll pay you back. Your kindness has been too much, really, and it will take me a bit to earn the money, but—"

Maka Albarn could not finish her sentence.

Because Soul Evans had placed his lips on hers, and would not pull away to let her.

It was Maka's first kiss, and she was certainly confused of what to do with her lips and where to put her hands. Soul, noticing the hesitance, wrapped his arms around her reassuringly and kissed her gently, before pulling away and whispering, "I said I'd take care of you. So stay with me."

Maka's face was as red as Soul's eyes as she stammered, "O-o-okay. I won't go…"

"Maka," Soul sighed, but this time, it was content.

/

**I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T COUNT BECAUSE I SAID I'D UPDATE EVERY DAY AND IT'S BEEN LIKE FIVE DAYS. Sorry guys, I never realized how easy it was to just slip away and stop writing. I swear I'll start up again. Sorry, this was a particularly short chapter, by like 700 words, but whatever. I hope their first kiss will suffice. Next chapter will be 2-3k words to make up for my almost-1-week absence. Since my tests are over, I'll start updating every day again! Expect much more action….AND DRAMA! *****gasps audibly***** next chapter, when they go to school!**


	8. Chapter 8

Maka stared in horror at the school that stood before her.

Rather, the school _she _stood in front of. What an enormous school it was, towering above her, making her feel even more insignificant than before. She was just an irrelevant girl standing in the shadows of a massive high school full of people.

"I'm not so sure about this, Soul," Maka complained as they approached the doors. Several students loitered on the premises, hanging out in small groups. Eyes wandered over to Soul and Maka as they slowly made their way inside. The girl was pressed up against Soul in her nervousness, clinging to him as they made their way to the main office. "They're looking at me. Soul, why are they looking at us? I want to go home…" she rambled on, the uneasiness present in her words.

A woman smiled at the two as they entered the office. "Hello, Ms. Albarn!" A stack of papers and notebooks was placed in her hand. She forced a sheepish, quiet 'thanks' as she slipped the papers into a small bag slung over her shoulder. Instructions and information were explained in detail to Maka, but it went through one ear and out the other. She could only focus on her anxiousness of being in a place full of so many people.

They strolled out of the office, Soul staring at Maka's schedule. "Ah, cool! We have every class together, Maka!" He grinned wildly at her and patted her head. "Except one, my bad. We don't have math together. I'm in geometry and you're in algebra II."

Soul could see Maka's face contort in fear. "I can't go to any class without you! Let me switch! I'll retake it!" She wasn't even sure how she advanced to the next class, in the first place. Maka's attendance at her previous school was beyond awful, and although she was intelligent, she was almost positive she'd have to redo her entire Junior year.

"Be realistic, Maka. You shouldn't retake a class you already passed. Besides, a break from me once won't hurt you. I can't have my Maka getting tired of me." He ruffled her hair again, smiling brightly.

They walked up the stairs, strolling to the location of their first class. "I'll jump out the window," Maka stated, a serious expression on her face.

"Don't joke about that. Not cool." They entered their first class of the day, English, with Maka's body still as close to Soul's as possible.

All eyes were on her.

There was no teacher in the room; not yet, anyways. Most of the kids blended in with each other, except a pair of sisters looking nearly identical and a boy with three asymmetrical stripes in his hair that particularly stood out. They leaned casually against a pair of desks, conversing like old pals, until they were interrupted by Maka's presence.

A few kids in the room smiled at her, exchanged some looks, and went back to their conversations. But the kid with the stripes approached Soul and Maka, and the two girls near him followed.

"You must be the new student. My name's Death the Kid, but you can call me Kid." He extended a hand to her, a small but welcoming smile visible. "These are my friends, Liz and Patty."

Liz made no change in expression, but Patty jumped up in excitement with an animated grin. "A new friend, a new friend!"

Maka looked down at her shoes. "My name's Maka. Maka Albarn."

"You're very pretty, Maka," Kid remarked, taking a step closer. "I hope we can become good friends." Kid closed almost all the distance between them, and his eyes met Soul's with a competitive glare as he offered, "I'd love to take you out to dinner."

Soul instinctively linked his arm with Maka's and replied in her place, "She's not very good with new people, so I think—"

The albino expected Kid to interrupt, but the girl beside him did instead. "I…I'd like to make a new friend. It would be nice to go with you, Kid."

Kid smiled, and reached a hand to Maka's hair, gently straightening one of her ponytails. "It was a bit asymmetrical, so I just _had_ to fix it. Now it is perfect."

Soul rolled his eyes. "C'mon Maka, let's go sit down."

The rest of the day went by quickly, and all Maka Albarn could think about was her date with Death the Kid.

* * *

"Does this look okay?" Maka asked Soul, posing in an outfit of hers. She let her hair flow over her shoulders, free of the ponytails they were in just hours ago. Maka wore a modest skirt and collared shirt; simple, but dressier than what she had worn to school that day.

"Everything looks good on you Maka," Soul answered, returning back to his show on the television.

"I don't want to be _too_ dressy." Maka flopped onto the couch beside him, arms loose at her sides. Soul grunted in response, not enthusiastic enough to give an actual reply.

Soul was jealous, and he knew it was obvious. But there was no way he could hold back the fact that he envied how easily Kid got to Maka, when it took him nearly a month to build up the bond that they had. It wasn't fair, really. Who was the one that saved her life, bought her clothes, fed her, helped her begin to recover? Not Kid. That was for sure.

He knew that he shouldn't want to hold her back from going out on a date with another guy. In fact, it was a good thing she was willing to make friends, and do things a normal teenager would do. Besides, Maka specified multiple times that they were going just as friends and that no one could replace him. He wasn't really listening, but…

Soul sighed heavily, causing Maka to look up in concern. "Soul?"

The doorbell rang just as he was going to reply. "Go have fun on your date." Soul forced a fake smile as he added his last words, "I'll be waiting for you."

/

**I lied about the 2-3k words in this chapter XD Wow, I am the worst author out there. At least I'm updating at all. **

**Well, I sorta just forced Kid out there into some random love triangle, and I bet you're all gonna hate me BUT IT'S MY FIC I'LL DO WHAT I WANT. I used to ship Kid and Maka but I realize SoMa is life so I kinda broke away from that. I still think Kid and Maka are cute though. But anyways THERE'S THAT SO CALLED DRAMA I TALKED ABOUT. ENJOY. Next chapter will be their date, and Mr. Jealous Evans reacting to that….mwahahaha. It'll probably be longer next chapter.**

**BY THE WAY, this is NOT a KidxMaka fic! Kid is just there because he can be! IT IS STILL SOMA!**

**Please review! Until next time, my readers.**


	9. Chapter 9

Skirt.

Maka was staring down at her skirt, her small fingers playing with the hem. Her eyes never wandered away from her lap, and Kid's never wandered away from her face.

Because Death the Kid was staring rather intently at Maka Albarn.

The two were on their date in a small, quaint restaurant, waiting for their food to arrive. Maka had merely pointed at a random dish on the menu, unwilling to read about the selection they had. She just wanted to look down, ignore the boy courting her, and forget that she had ever agreed to go out on a date with this bizarre kid.

The more she thought about it, she realized that _bizarre_ couldn't even begin to describe him. Throughout school that day, and on the date, all he could complain about was symmetry and the lack of it. _OCD much? _Maka thought to herself, mentally rolling her eyes, but refraining from actually showing her irritation. Although he was bright and very kind, he easily got on Maka's nerves.

And one of the things that bothered her was the staring. Death the Kid set his gaze on Maka, and held onto that stare like his life depended on it. Not once had he looked away, and it just made Maka all the more nervous. They weren't talking much, which made the atmosphere even more awkward. Maka wished Soul would just come and pick her up, so she never had to see him again.

But at the same time, she didn't. This boy was so willing to be her friend, unlike anyone else. She didn't want to just push him away, and be stuck with only Soul. Not that she had a problem with Soul. He was wonderful, funny, caring…but he too, sometimes, got on her nerves.

"Tell me about yourself, Maka," Kid urged in the silence. He sipped at his soda, keeping his eyes on the girl in front of him. She slowly raised her head, a blush dusting her cheeks. Maka didn't have much to tell him; after all, she hadn't done much in her past except watch her mother die, run away to attempt suicide, and move in with a stranger.

"I-I'm really not that interesting…" Maka stammered. She didn't want to give in to the flirting he forced on her.

"What's your family like?" he asked suddenly. Her head shot up instantly, and the blush faded, as well as any other expression that she showed. He was even trying to pry into her family life now, which was something she absolutely didn't want to discuss.

"I don't live with my family."

"Ah, is that so? Well, if you are in need of anything at all, you are welcome to come stay at my place," Kid offered sincerely.

"I'm living with Soul," Maka replied nearly instantly. And she was positive she didn't want to move out.

Kid scowled at the name of the albino boy. "Why don't you give Soul a break and come to my place? You should never rely on one person too much."

Maka hesitated before responding. She could sense the rivalry between the two, and she really wanted to defend Soul. But she didn't exactly want to get into an argument on her first real date. "I want to stay with Soul," she started, eyes locking to Kid's. "I know I shouldn't depend on him, but he says he needs me, so—"

Kid's mouth dropped open before he let out a snicker. "_Needs_? He's just using you, Maka. He's _known _for that."

Maka's heart skipped a beat, and it certainly wasn't from excitement. She didn't know Kid enough to figure out if he was lying or not, but she could feel fear rising up her throat. Nausea plagued her stomach as she forced out the words, "But we kissed…"

The boy across from Maka frowned slightly. "Just once?"

"Just once." Maka looked to the side, spotting the waiter that was bringing their food. She felt tears brimming her eyes, and could feel her shoulders trembling. The girl would never have imagined that Soul had been using her, or was just playing around.

But it was suddenly a reality.

"Do you like him?"

Maka sighed, holding back her tears. "Of course. He's helped me so much."

"Do you want to kiss him again?"

Another hesitation. "I don't know. But I do know he saved my life."

"That wasn't my question," Kid said with a straight face. "Do you want to kiss me?"

_Of course not. _Maka didn't have to think twice about it. She knew that she didn't feel that way about him, and that she probably never would. Maka had just met him, and she didn't feel the same connection that she had with Soul.

That kind of connection, Maka was almost sure of, she would never feel with anyone else. Soul was so special, and Maka wasn't about to deny the fact that she liked kissing him. And honestly, she did want to again. She didn't mind any of the physical contact they made, and most certainly didn't want it to stop.

"No," Maka answered honestly. "I don't—"

The girl didn't get to finish her sentence. Death the Kid had sealed her lips off with his own, his hands reaching for hers. She quickly pushed him away, letting out a yelp of both surprise and anger. Color flushed to her cheeks as she shrieked, "Don't touch me! I said I don't like you! _I like Soul_!"

Maka pushed back her chair and stood up swiftly. She had no words for Kid; she decided to just storm out of the restaurant without even thanking him for the meal.

The flustered teenager sped down the sidewalk, hot and salty tears streaming down her face. Maka was only a few blocks from Soul's house, and she was certainly going to tell him about the incident. _I know Soul will take care of things for me_.

There she was, relying on him yet again.

And then, only moments later, she remembered what Kid said. That Soul was using her.

Should she go home? Confront him? Or forget Kid ever even said it? Maka had never faced a situation like this before, so she didn't know what to do or how to act. _Maybe I should ask Tsubaki for help_.

Just as she was turning a corner a block away from Soul's house, Maka bumped head-on into someone. A tall man who smelled strongly of booze, and didn't bother to brush his messy disheveled scarlet hair.

Maka had run right into Spirit Albarn.

/

**An OOC Kid plus a dependent Maka equals doubting of a relationship, and apparently a run in with your drunk father. Yes, I ended it with another cliffhanger. Anyways, Maka was finally able to decide how she felt about Soul (indirectly) and that she doesn't want any other guy. But stupid Kid had to go and kiss her though. Like gtfo.**

**Wait, why am I complaining? XD This is my fanfic. I could easily kick him out.**

**Well, next chapter will be some confrontation between Soul and Maka, and of course a little heated argument or two with Spirit. Warning, it's only going to get more depressing from here (sorry Soul, you'll have to wait to see that smile.) So what did you think? Should I make Soul a player or something XD Please review! See you next chapter~**


	10. Chapter 10

Soul was worried. Very worried.

He could've sworn he heard someone scream less than a block away; a hair-raising shriek of pure terror had filled the streets, and Soul was almost positive that it was Maka.

The albino didn't even have to think twice about it. He threw on his shoes and sped out the door, nearly slamming it on Blair. But at that point, he could care less about the cat. The blood inside him was boiling, and his adrenaline rushed with fear. The boy was fast on his feet, and didn't waste a single second getting onto his bike.

_Shit Maka. Stop getting into trouble__**.**_

He turned a sharp corner, nearly flying of his motorcycle. Maka was just a few yards away, but she was running straight at him, fists clenched tightly and panting quite visibly. Soul hopped off the bike, and by the time he was stable on his feet, the girl had run straight into his arms. Immediately he encircled her, providing her a split second's warmth and protection before he saw a rather tipsy man stumble into view.

"Get your hands off my daughter," spat a raspy voice. The unidentified man sniffled, raising a shaky hand to run it through his scarlet hair. "You're wasting my time. Let go of her," he added with a nasty, cold edge to his words, not even giving Soul time to respond.

Soul took a minute to analyze the situation. Here he was, holding a girl that he _did _in fact take in with very little information about her past. Now, nearly a month later, he was meeting up with the very man who had broken her to the point where she turned to suicide. So what was he supposed to do? Hand the girl over like a borrowed toy? Escape without saying a word to the guy?

The infuriated boy eliminated those options, along with any other ones that might've even been rational. Instead, he gently pushed Maka to the side, curled his hand into a tight fist, and threw a hefty punch at her father's jaw.

The victim staggered backwards, a thin line of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. He blinked several times, then let out a thick cough. "What the hell do you think you're doing, kid?"

Soul rolled his eyes and raised his fist again. Maka's father flinched, but didn't make any attempts to escape. A few people sped off, clearly avoiding the potential fight. "I'm protecting her, that's what. I'm sorry, but I can't hand her over to you."

The man snickered. "Sorry son, but I own this girl. Tell me, are _you_ her father?"

Soul took a step back, standing beside Maka once again. He slid his arm around her, softly gripping her shoulder. "I'm her boyfriend," Soul stated simply before leaning into her face. He murmured a quick "just trust me" into her ear before stealing a kiss from the shaken girl.

He wasn't looking, but Soul knew that Maka's dad's face was contorting with anger and all sorts of hateful emotions. But the alcoholic was so taken aback by the action that he couldn't do anything but watch the two kiss.

_Strange_, Soul thought to himself. He had said 'boyfriend' as an excuse to be protecting her, yet it seemed so natural. He hoped that they could someday live up to that status.

Soul pulled away slowly, drinking in the emotion that was displayed on both members of the Albarn family. He wanted to kiss her again; hell, he wanted to kiss her all day and never let go of her. But right now, he just wanted her to feel safe.

The dirty man spat, thick red slime splattering on the sidewalk. "You think you're funny, kid? You think you're slick?" The redhead hiccupped and placed a meaty hand on his own chest. "Before I call the cops for _kidnapping_, give me one good reason why you think you deserve my girl."

Nausea pooled in his stomach, threatening to spill the contents of his previous meals. The words 'my girl' echoed in his ears, sending a disgusted shiver up and down his spine. _Why Maka? She didn't deserve to be hit, to be raped_… A small voice near his ear spoke up, panic present in her words. "Soul, let's go. Please. I don't want him to hurt you, or to hurt me."

Soul's arm was still wrapped around her waist, and he didn't plan on letting go while her father was in sight. He tightened his grip and responded, "You're probably right, Maka. This guy's drunk, and I really don't want to fight with you here."

The man seemed distant, although he was only a few feet away. The alcohol was getting the best of him, and he seemed tired and unfocused. Soul pulled himself onto the motorcycle, quickly grabbing his friend before speeding off. Maka's father hastily threw a few unrecognizable words, but Soul didn't bother to attempt and decipher them.

Arriving back at the apartment with their hearts racing, the two locked the door and slumped back-to-back on the couch. "He knows where I am," Maka whispered with a shaky voice. Soul could feel her shoulders trembling as she continued, "He found me. He found me. He found me."

She repeated her empty words like a mantra of despair, convincing herself that the haven of Soul's home was no longer a safe one. The words tumbled out of her mouth like a glass spilling milk off the side of a table, splashing onto the floor with no intention of stopping. Her mind shut off but the lips kept running, running a thousand miles away from her empty shell of a body.

"Maka, get ahold of yourself," Soul demanded nervously. He bit down on his tongue before placing both hands on her shoulders and shaking her. "Maka, snap out of it! I'm here, and we're both safe. He doesn't know where we are." A hand traveled down her hair, gently smoothing it down as a weak means for comfort.

"He found me. He found me. Soul, he found me. He's been looking for me, and he found me." Hot tears flooded down her cheeks, eyes and skin colored similarly to her father's hair. "He's going to hurt me, Soul. And there's nothing I can do."

Soul pressed his lips softly on the girl's forehead, entwining his fingers with hers. "I'll do whatever I can to protect you, Maka. You know that."

Maka looked up, sniffling. "Are you using me?" she asked honestly, suddenly remembering the unsettling conversation she had with Kid earlier that evening. She recalled running from the restaurant, upset that Kid had kissed her, in addition to making her question her friendship with Soul.

Soul's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "What in the world gave you that idea?"

"Someone said you might be…that you were…are you just playing around with me?" Maka fumbled with her fingers nervously. She raised her head hesitantly, afraid of what reaction she might see.

Soul looked pissed.

"Who the hell…" he mumbled, pressing a hand to his forehead with stress. "Don't tell me it was Kid." Maka averted her gaze, nodding. His irked expression proceeded to become one twisted with irritation, looking like he just took a bite of something a little too sour. And after that, he burst out laughing.

"You seriously believed that, Maka?" he choked out between gasps for breath. His right hand playfully slapped her shoulder, while the other wiped away a stray tear. "Kid is just a jealous wreck. He just wanted you all to himself." After a few more moments of hearty laughter, Soul calmed down. "Did you seriously doubt me? After everything that's happened?"

Maka glanced back at Soul, then down at her lap. "I really am stupid," she admitted sheepishly. The boy was right. He'd done so much for her, so why did she feel such uncertainty about him just an hour ago?

They readjusted their position, each facing the TV, sitting side by side, bodies pressed together. Maka leaned into his shoulder and shut her eyes, exhausted from the eventful day. She decided that she'd want to stay with Soul no matter what; she knew that he would protect her no matter the cost.

But that still didn't erase the fact that Spirit Albarn was now tracking her down.

The fear pooled in the pit of her stomach, rushed down her spine, throbbed in her head, and forced her tired eyes back open. Her father was looking for her, and he wanted her back.

She'd rather be dead than have him take her.

/

**YES, I am still alive. I'm sorry about the break, I've been busy, as well as lazy. I will have more frequent updates from now. I'm going to get myself back in the groove. What did you think? Please review!**

**Thanks to all who gave their input on Soul last chapter. Because of you guys, Soul remained good ol' Soul…Wait, no. I wasn't going to make him a player anyways. You guys are fools. Just kidding. But seriously.**

**Next chapter: A redhead spy, a knife where it doesn't belong, a white haired boy worried sick about his girl, who might just be sick as well…**

**Until next time my readers!**


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